A zine, short for fanzine or magazine, is a DIY* subculture self-publication, usually made on paper and reproduced with a photocopier or printer. Zine creators are often motivated by a desire to share knowledge or experience with people in marginalized or otherwise less-empowered communities. The Art-Zines in the display case on the Ground Floor of the University Library have been loaned to us by University of Portsmouth’s Zineopolis curator, Jac Batey.  Selected and curated by two MA Illustration students, Kate and Josie, many of the examples reflect the theme of journeys.

A few months ago I received an unexpected and tentative request from a two alumni who were about to be married, asking permission for a pre-wedding photoshoot in the University Library because they had so many happy memories of courting while they were students here. Naturally, my colleagues and I were delighted to welcome our alumni back and were excited to see the now married couple’s happiness celebrated by the University.

Our lovely student volunteers studying Illustration, Kate and Josie, are helping us lead a Zine-Making workshop for Portsmouth Bookfest on Saturday 22 February. This is a free event which can be booked via the P ublic Library’s Children’s Bookfest webpage. …

Create a zine at BookFest! Read more »

We want everyone to feel welcome and enjoy everything the Library has to offer. We believe cognitive, sensory, mobility, and other differences should not be a barrier to getting the most from your Library, and so offer additional services we hope will remove any barriers to your learning.

Studying business? Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to get the most from your degree with doctoral business student and consultant Nathan Ghann. Learn how he went from just 2 GCSEs to becoming a doctoral student and benefit from his tips for getting the most from your degree as easily as possible.

Join Nathan for a 75 minute session where he will share his transformative journey from being a failing student to achieving a first-class degree and attaining a 70% grade average.

The British Cartographic Society has made membership FREE for full-time students in Higher Education. You can now sign up simply but demonstrating you have a student email address. You don’t have to be a cartographer: the society is open to anyone with a love of maps.

If you haven’t yet stopped by the Library, I’d thoroughly recommend you make a detour to see our latest incredible photography exhibition by travel and documentary photographer Md Abdulla Al Mamun. Check out his Instagram feed for more of his unique insight into how images can remind us of our profound interconnectedness and the unspoken bond between species, emphasizing that we, as humans, share the same space and responsibilities as the animals and nature that surround us.

The PGM Ambassadors have created a fabulous display in the Heritage Hub display space, just outside the Park Building café. If you are in Portsmouth, I thoroughly recommend checking it out! For those of you learning at a distance, you can view much of the display material on the Library website. It’s definitely worth a look!

Our ever popular Blind date with a book event is back and this time we have given it a romantic twist in the run up to Valentine’s Day. Borrow one of our specially wrapped, hand picked books we think you might love from the Library Atrium and discover something you might not otherwise ever have read.